Tool for removing railway ties



Feb. 15, 1944. .L. STOTKA 4 TOOL FOR REMOVING RAILWAY TIES I Filed May13, 1942 '2 Sheets-Sheet l L. STOTKA TOOL FOR REMOVING RAILWAY TIES Feb.15, 1944.

Filed May 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE TOOL FOR REMOVING RAILWAY TIES Louis Stotka, Baldwin,Wis., assignor of twothirds to Anton M. Hendrickson and Ralph E.Strother, both of St. Paul, Minn.

Application May 13, 1942, Serial No. 442,775

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for removing railway ties that havebecome worn out, badly decayed or damaged, the device being used when itis desired to replace individual old ties by new ones and withoutremoving the rails.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel, simple andinexpensive tool adapted to facilitate the rapid removal of railway tiesfrom beneath the rails.

Other objects are to provide a tool of this character which is strong,easy to operate and adapted for use with rails of different sizes.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a simple form of my device andillustrating a method of using it for the removal of a tie from beneatha pair of rails, shown in cross section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lever shown in Fig. 1 with the tie-engagingmember disposed at right angles to the lever;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the parts in the same relativepositions as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation as viewed from the right of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 and 6 are plan and side views respectively of the fulcrum end ofthe simpler form of lever and showing an attachment for adapting thetool to fit the heavier or larger rails;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing a preferred form of my invention inoperative relation to a rail and tie and with a portion of the leverhandle broken away;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the tool as viewed from the right of Fig.7 and with the rail removed, and 1 Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, horizontalsection taken on the line I 0-H) of Fig. 7.

In the simpler form of my device I provide a lever having a long handleI and a pair of fulcrum members 8 rigidly secured to an end portion ofthe handle 1 and formed with cylindrical bearings 9 for engagement withthe Web and flange of a rail. The fulcrum members 8 are rectangular incross section and are preferably welded to opposite faces of arectangular end portion 1a of the handle 1. Each of the members 8 has alaterally projecting end formed with an end surface In to fit beneathand engage the head or bead of a rail. The cylindrical fulcrum surfaces9 engage the rail at points spaced a substantial distance apart and thusfacilitate movement of the handle in a plane which is perpendicular tothe rail.

A tie-engaging member is pivotally joined to the lever and comprises apair of side bars II and a central bar [2, all rigidly maintained inparallel relation to each other, and each having a pointed end I3 toengage a tie. The opposite ends of the bars I I are formed to receive abolt I4 which pivotally connects the tie-engaging member to the handle Iand fulcrum members 8. The bars II and I2 are held in spaced, parallelrelation to each other by tubular spacers I5 mounted on bolts I6 whichrigidly connect the bars i I and I 2.

To adapt the fulcrum members 8 to fit rails of various heights. Iprovide a pair of extension blocks I1 which are formed to be detachablymounted on the ends of the members 8, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Each ofthe blocks I! has a pair of ears I 8 formed thereon to fit oppositefaces of a fulcrum member 8 and these ears I8 are pierced to receivebolts IQ for fastening the blocks I1 in place, a perforation 20 (Fig. 3)being provided near the end of each member 8 for a bolt My device may beused as indicated in Fig. l to remove a tie 2| from beneath a pair ofrails 22. The ballast or fill 23 in which the ties are imbedded iscleared away from an end of the tie 2 I, as indicated at 24, preparatoryto removing the tie and in further preparation for removing the tie 2|the rail spikes are withdrawn from that tie and in most cases the railsare jacked up sufiiciently to relieve the weight on the tie and to clearany tie cuts which may have been formed by the rails. After suchpreparation my improved tool is applied with the handle 1 approximatelyin the position shown in full lines in Fig. l, the fulcrum bearings 9being spaced in engagement with the inner flange and web of one rail andthe end surface l0 fitting beneath the head of the rail. The operatornow presses down on the free ends of the tie-engaging bars II and I2 tocause the pointed ends I3 to bite into the tie while the handle 1 isoscillated from the full line position toward the dotted line positionshown in Fig. 1 and back to starting position repeatedly. One foot ofthe operator is preferably used to press down on the bars II and I2. Ateach swing to the right the tie is forced a short distance to the rightand the step by step movement is continued until the tie is beyond thereach of the bars I I and i2. At this point the tool may be removed tothe outer side of the rail to the right, as seen in Fig. l, and operatedin a similar manner until the tie is free of both rails.

During the operation of the device, and particularly at the start ofeach power stroke, the ends of the fulcrum members 8 engage theunderside of the head of the rail to prevent the fulcrum from beingforced up by the resistance directed upward along the bars H and I2. Itwill be evident that the members 3 and tieengaging members I 1 act astoggle members and when they are moved toward their aligned po sitionexert great force to move the ties longitudinally. Where rails of theheavier or larger sizes are encountered, the block ll are attached tothe ends of the fulcrum members 8, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Theseblocks operate like the ends it of the fulcrum members 8 to engagebeneath the rail head and prevent the upward shifting or release of thefulcrum from the rail when the device is in use.

in the preferred form of my device illustrated in Figs. 7 to 16inclusive a manually operable lever is pivotally supported on a fulcrummember 25 which is formed to fit the side of the rail 22 between theflange and head. A pair of abutment screws 215 are threaded in themember 2% to engage the bottom surface of the rail head at points spacedalong the rail. By suitable adjustment of these screws the fulcrummember 25 may be caused to lit and be confined beneath rail heads ofvarious heights. It will be understood that for the larger rails thesescrews may be turned to project further from the member 25 and for thesmaller rails the screws are turned into said members. The lower end ofthe lever 25 extends into an opening 23 (Fig. 10) formed centrally inthe member 26 and is pivotally connected to the latter by a bolt 29.

Tie engaging bars 30 and ii are pivotally connected to the lever 25 by apin 32 which is spaced along the lever 25 from the bolt 29. The freeends of the bars 38 and ill are formed with teeth 33 adapted to biteinto the tie 2| and these bars are rigidly connected together by a plate84 near their free ends and by a plate 35 near their pivotally supportedends. Pivoted on the bolt 28 and projecting therefrom in substantiallyparal el relation to the tie 2! is a pair of rods 36 having free ends3'! extending obliquely down ward toward the tie and formed withsharpened extremities adapted to penerate the tie sufficiently to retainthe member 25 in engagement with the rail. while the teeth 33 arewithdrawn from the tie during the upward stroke of the lever 25. A crossrod 38 is welded to the rods 35 near their free ends to rigidly connectthem.

A suitable stop is provided to limit the arc of movement of the lever 25relative to the fulcrum member 26 and prevent the fulcrum member frombeing forced out of contact with the rail by engagement of the lever 25with the rail head. This stop comprises a short cross bar 39 which iswelded to the lever 25 and projects at the sides thereof to engage theinner face of the member 26 near its upper edge. Downward oscillatingmovement of the bars 33 and 3! relative to the lever 25 is also limitedby providing a stop shoulder at on the lever disposed to be engaged bythe plate 35.

In operation of the preferred form of my invention, assuming that thespikes connecting the rail 22 to the tie 26 have been withdrawn, thefulcrum head 25 is placed in engagement with the flange, web and head ofthe rail 22 as shown, the lever 25 is elevated to its vertical positionand then the operator impresses the teeth 33 into the tie by stepping onthe plate 34, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7. Now one or moreworkmen move the upper end of the lever 25 to the left and downward asseen in Fig. '7 thus forcing the tie 2| to the left relative to therails while the pointed ends 31 of the rods 38 slide over the topsurface of the tie. Upon completing the downward stroke, the operatorsteps on the rod 38 to impress the ends 3"! of the rods 36 into the tieand then the lever 25 is raised and moved to the substantially verticalstarting position. During this upward stroke the teeth 33 are withdrawnfrom the tie and the rods 36 retain the fulcrum member 26 in engagementwith the rail. The oscillating movement of the lever and op eration ofthe tie-engaging members 30, 3| and 36 is repeated until the tie hasbeen removed longitudinally from beneath the rails, as more e fullydescribed with reference to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1to 4 inclusive.

It will be understood that the rods 36 facilitate the operation bypreventing the fulcrum member 26 from being moved away from the railunder the force exerted when the teeth 33 are withdrawn from the tieduring the upward stroke of the lever. The operation is furtherfacilitated by providing the elongated fulcrum member and duplicatetie-engaging members 30 and 36 which form a wide and stable supportingbase for the tool. Similarly, in the form of my device shown in Figs. 1to 6 inclusive, by providing the spaced duplicate fulcrum members 8 andseries of spaced tie-engaging bars H and I2, I iaciiitate oscillatingmovement of the lever in the proper plane which is perpendicular to therail or substantially vertical and thus guard against bending of thetie-engaging members out of alignment with the lever when force isapplied to the handle. The plurality of tie-engaging bars alsodistribute the force applied to the tie. Extensive use of my improvedtie removing devices has demonstrated that they reduce labor andequipment costs as compared with the use of other known machines andtools for removing ties.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent 1.. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, alever having a fulcrum member formed to engage a rail and affording apivotal support for the normally lower end of said lever, a tie-engagingmember pivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced from thefulcrum member, means projecting from the free end of said tieengagingmember for pivotally engaging a tie, said lever being operable to andfrom a position wherein its fulcrum is in substantial alignment with itspivot connection with said tie-engaging member and with said projectingmeans to force a tie longitudinally from beneath the rail.

2. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever having a fulcrumformed toengage the flange, web and head of a rail, a thrust memberpivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced from the fulcrum,said member extending obliquely to the tie to be removed, meansprojecting from the free end of said thrust member for -making ahinge-like connection with the tie at successive points longitudinallythereof while said lever is oscillated to force the tie longitudinallyfrom beneath said rail and means for adapting said fulcrum to engagerail flanges and heads variously spaced.

3. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever having anelongated handle and a fulcrum formed to engage a side of a rail andspaced tie-engaging bars pivotallyconnected to said lever, extendingtherefrom along and toward a tie and having free ends adapted tohingedly engage the top of a tie at successive points spaced from saidrail while said handle is oscillated in a substantially vertical planeto remove the tie, step by step, from beneath the rail.

4. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember for said lever adapted to engage a rail, a tie-engaging memberpivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced from the rail andabove the fulcrum member, said tie-engaging member having a free endadapted to make an oscillatory connection with the tie at successivepoints spaced from said rail while said handle is oscillated in asubstantially vertical plane to remove a tie, step by step, from beneatha rail and means for re taining said fulcrum member in engagement withthe rail during the oscillating movement of the lever.

5. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever having anelongated handle, a fulcrum member for said lever formed to engage arail, said lever being pivotally supported on said member, and thrustmeans pivotally connected to said lever at a point removed upward fromsaid fulcrum member, said thrust means extending obliquely downward andhaving a free end member adapted to make an oscillatory connection withthe top of a tie at successive points spaced from said rail while saidlever is oscillated to remove the tie, step by step, from beneath therail.

6. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember formed to fit in en'- gagement with the flange, web and head of arail, means pivotally connecting an end of the lever to said fulcrummember and thrust means pivotally connected to said lever extendingobliquely downward therefrom longitudinally of the tie and formed tomake a hinge-like connection with a tie at successive points spaced fromsaid rail while said lever is oscillated to remove the tie, step bystep, from beneath the rail.

'7. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember for said lever formed to engage a rail, tie-engaging meanspivotally connected tosaid lever at a point removed from the fulcrummember above the same and formed to bite into the top of a tie at pointsspaced from said rail and means for retaining the fulcrum member incontact with the rail when said lever is oscillated to remove a tie frombeneath the rail.

8. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember for said lever formed to engage a rail, a tie-engaging memberpivotally comiected to said lever at a point removed from the fulcrummember and formed to bite into the top of a tie at points spaced fromsaid rail and a second tie-engaging member pivotally connected to saidfulcrum member and lever for retaining the fulcrum member in contactwith 1 the rail when said lever is oscillated to remove a tie frombeneath the rail.

9. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember adapted to fit inengagement with the flange, web and head of arail, means pivotally connecting an end of the lever to said fulcrummember, a pair of spaced tie-engaging bars pivotally connected to saidlever at a point removed from the fulcrum member and each having an endformed to bite into the top of a tie at successive points spaced fromsaid rail while said lever is oscillated to remove the tie, step bystep, from beneath the rail and a pair of rods connected to the fulcrummember and extending along said tie with ends adapted to penetrate thetie to retain the fulcrum member in engagement with the rail during theoscillating movement of the lever.

10. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever, a fulcrummember for engagement with a rail, extensible and retractile means foradapting said member to fit between the flange and head of rails ofvarious sizes, means pivotally connecting an end of the lever to saidfulcrum member, and tie-engaging means pivotally connected to said leverat a point removed from the fulcrum member and formed to bite into a tieat successive points spaced from said rail while said lever isoscillated to remove the tie, step by step, from beneath the rail.

11. A tool for removing railway ties comprising, a lever having afulcrum member formed to engage a rail, said member affording anoscillatory support for the normally lower end of said lever, a rigidthrust member pivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced fromthe fulcrum member and being adapted to extend obliquely toward a tiebeneath the rail, means projecting from the free end of said thrustmember for making an oscillatory connection with the tie, the leverbeing operable to and from a position wherein its fulcrum is insubstantial alignment with its pivot connection with said thrust memberand with said projecting means to force a tie longitudinally, step bystep, from beneath the rail.

LOUIS STOTKA.

